| Like A Video Game Authored by Joshua Shnider - November 14, 2007 - 2:47 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Final Thoughts On The 2008 NBA Draft This year's draft was decidedly more calm and casual than the Oden/Durant showdown, which made for a more candid and personal experience.
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Every play seems to work. Brian Scalabrine almost gets knocked unconscious one day, and is back a few later hitting threes like he’s still at USC. Eddie House is scoring like Eddie Jones off the bench. And everyone plays defense. If they don’t, Coach Garnett may chew their ear off, digest it, find out that it is a good halftime carb-boost, and then decide he’s going to eat a different teammates’ ear every half. Then, in their search to explain KG’s ear-eating habits the media would arrive at the “he’s just that intense” conclusion; it has been that kind of start for the Green.
It is seems like a fantasyland that Celtics fans are living in, and the architect deserves a lot of the credit. Danny Ainge doesn’t just deserve the Executive of the Year award they should rename it after him.
Kevin Garnett came to Boston for a promising low-post threat in Al Jefferson, an expiring contract, my golden retriever Brady, his mutt-friend Buddy, Ryan Gomes, and a first-round pick (It should be noted that Buddy won the dunk contest last year, somehow increasing his trade value, even though he is still emotionally unstable.)
The Ray Allen trade was a little less one-sided. After all, Allen isn’t going to be the one to win the MVP this season, and Delonte West and Jeff Green could be solid complements to Kevin Durant.
Regardless, these are video game trades.
Garnett, arguably the second or third best player in the NBA (Tim Duncan and Steve Nash being the other nominees, if this is judged on how much better said player makes those around him, as it should) should yield a little more in return than Kevin McHale received. As Larry Bird said before last night’s game in Indiana, Celtics’ fans can also thank McHale for this one.
Yes, it’s only been six games, and yes injuries are always a possibility. But it has been a dominant six games, and there is no reason the next 76 won’t be as dominant. Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins will only continue to progress with the mentors they have around them, The Big Three (if LaDainian Tomlinson can be called “LT”, Pierce, KG and Allen can be called “The Big Three”) will continue to gel, and The Garden will surely become one of the biggest home-court advantages in the league. So, NBA fans, as you sit back and enjoy Danny Ainge’s masterpiece, grab a PS2 controller and play along, it’s quite fun. All you have to do first is find a virtual GM willing to trade you a top-three player for Al Jefferson and a pack of hounds.
Joshua can be reached at jshnider@whdh.com |
